Control system for childbirth and method thereof

ABSTRACT

A childbirth control system is provided to control the labor process of a patient. The patient&#39;s physical information of the patient and her fetus is continuously obtained during the labor via a plurality of diagnosis devices connected to a user terminal. The system includes an analysis module, which generates a childbirth progress data by continuously comparing the series of patient&#39;s measurement data with a series of reference measurement data. The childbirth progress data is provided on the user terminal to show the current progress of the childbirth as well as suggestions as to alternative childbirth method and medical treatment options. The system also provides the childbirth progress data to the user terminal of remotely located medical service providers, and allows them to remotely assist the childbirth process.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/274,562, filed on Nov. 20, 2008 and now abandoned, which is a continuation of International Patent Application PCT/KR2007/002504 filed on May 24, 2007, which designates the United States and claims priority of Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2006-0046665, filed on May 24, 2006, and No. 10-2006-0046666, filed on May 24, 2006, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a medical diagnostic system and method of using the system in obstetric field, and more particularly to a childbirth control system and a method for providing the objective assessment of the childbirth progress and medical information responsive to the physical condition of the patient and fetus in real-time during a childbirth process. The present invention also enables remotely located medical service providers to assist the labor process in real-time in response to various physical changes of the patient and her fetus during labor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a normal childbirth, women can safely give birth without medical interventions (including, but not limited to, epidurals, caesarian sections, vacuum extraction, and forceps). In abnormal childbirth, some form of medical intervention is required to ensure the safety of the patient and her fetus from various childbirth complications. Also, even the normal childbirth can require some form of artificial assistance to prevent such childbirth complications.

Accordingly, various physical conditions of the patient (e.g., mother) and her fetus are constantly monitored so that the obstetrician can act appropriately based on his experience and knowledge.

Childbirth process has been modernized with various medical treatment techniques and advanced equipment, thereby significantly reducing the medical accidents during childbirths. Even in the modern medical setting with advanced equipment and medical techniques, however, childbirth related medical accidents (e.g., delayed or inappropriate medical treatment) by the decision of inexperienced or biased obstetrician handling the circumstances. That is, some obstetricians tend to prefer a certain way of childbirth method or situation handling protocol. Not only are the patients and their fetuses at risk, but in some cases, the obstetricians are blamed for taking certain course of action during the childbirth and held responsible for the outcome.

There are three problems in the conventional childbirth control method. First, evaluating the progress of labor is a difficult task for a doctor since a lot of information, such as values for the dilation, the effacement, the contraction rate and the position of fetus, must be considered. These values vary by the patients and also fluctuate throughout the childbirth process.

Second, since the childbirth is successively performed in real-time, it is difficult to obtain confirmation from the legal guardian or the patient's family member, or to seek assist from with other medical service provider (e.g., obstetrician or doctors specializing in any other fields) during the childbirth to properly diagnose and treat the patient.

Lastly, there is currently no clinical device that can provide objectively assessed or sufficiently substantiated medical information for predicting or assessing the progress of the childbirth, and provide viable medical treatments or alternative childbirth methods to the obstetrician, in response to sudden changes in the patient's and/or fetuses physical condition. Lack of such device also makes it very difficult to validate the doctor's decision during the childbirth.

Moreover, it is necessary to make a means for providing standardized physical information of patients and fetuses at different stages of childbirth, which can serve as a reference tool for obstetricians.

In order to implement the objective and scientific childbirth management system, the collaborating medical treatment with other obstetrician is also desired. Accordingly, instruments using an internet communication network capable of managing the childbirth according to a consistent childbirth protocol and policy on various definitions of the childbirth and displaying the conditions of the progress of the childbirth are required. Also, it is necessary for the obstetrician to communicate with the patient, the patient's guardians (e.g., family members), and the collaborating obstetrician regarding the progress of childbirth in real time during the labor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a childbirth control system and a method thereof capable of giving a remote medical treatment in real-time through a communication network and selecting a childbirth method in response to a physical change of the woman in childbed and the fetus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a childbirth control system and a method thereof, in which an obstetrician can communicate with the patient, the patient's family members, and the collaborating medical service provider (e.g., another obstetrician and/or doctors specialized in other fields) on the information of the progress of childbirth, whereby inducing a tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment. Moreover, it can more stably control the childbirth through an objective and scientific childbirth management.

To accomplish the objects, the present invention provides a system for controlling a childbirth for a patient during labor, comprising: a user terminal for generating a series of measurement data, wherein the user terminal is configured to receive a user selection for a desired childbirth method, and wherein the user terminal is operatively coupled to one or more of diagnosis devices that are configured to measure one or more values of physical information of the patient and her fetus in real time during the labor; a personal childbirth process database containing said series of measurement data of the patient throughout the labor; a plurality of reference databases containing a series of reference measurement data, each of the reference measurement data contains one or more reference physical information values to be used for the patient and the fetus; and an analysis module for generating a childbirth progress data, wherein the childbirth progress data is generated by comparing the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process database to a series of reference measurement data contained in at least one of the reference database corresponding to the selected childbirth method.

The user terminal may be a special purpose computing device which is specifically designed for communicating with various diagnosis devices and generating the series of measurement data. Alternatively, the user terminal may be a general purpose computing device, including personal computer, smart phone and the likes. It is sufficient that the user terminal is able to communicate with the various diagnosis devices to measure the physical information of the patient and the fetus during labor. Here, the diagnosis devices comprise a heartbeat measuring instrument 11, a cervix measuring instrument 12, a lightening measuring instrument 13, an uterine contraction measuring instrument 14, an ultrasonic image device 15, and a camera 16. One or more of these diagnosis devices may be used to simultaneously measure multiple categories of physical information of the patient and/or fetus, including dilation of cervix of the patient, effacement cervix of the patient, frequency of contraction per given time period, descent of the fetus.

When multiple categories of physical information are measured, a set of measured values for the patient and the fetus, at given time, is contained in a measurement data. This measurement data is continuously stored in the personal childbirth process information database in real time, throughout the labor. In other words, the personal childbirth process information database comprises a series of measurement data, each containing one or more values of physical information for the patient and her fetus that are measured by the diagnosis devices. In an embodiment, the personal childbirth process information database may also contain a selection data of a childbirth method, which can be used in generating a childbirth chart for outputting the series of measurement data based on the selected childbirth method.

The childbirth chart includes an Y-axis having a dilatation line illustrating an opening size (cm) of the womb, an X-axis illustrating an hour, four indicating lines and two section lines, four indicating lines and two section lines being varied according to the childbirth method.

The section lines comprise a vertical pang line and a vertical childbirth line.

Each indicating line comprises an optimum indicating line, which extends from a point that marks the admission time of the patient into the hospital to a pang line. Following the pang line, a warning indicating line, a diagnosis indicating line, and a firm diagnosis indicating line are positioned between the section lines in the respective order.

Here, the optimum indicating line, the warning indicating line, the diagnosis indicating line and the firm diagnosis indicating line are expressed by the following numerical formula 1 through 4 respectively. Y=aX+b  [Math Figure 1]

Here, “a” is a slope and “b” is a constant. Y=aX+c  [Math Figure 2]

Here, “a” is a slope and “c” is a constant. Y=aX+d  [Math Figure 3]

Here, “a” is a slope and “d” is a constant. Y=aX+e  [Math Figure 4]

Here, “a” is a slope and “e” is a constant.

The constant values of each indicating line are determined according to the personal childbirth process information database of the woman in childbed and are “b” value>“c” value>“d” value>“e” value.

The reference database, which may be implemented in a remote server 20, comprises a series of reference measurement data that can be used in providing warning data for presenting various warning signals, by comparing the series of reference measurement data with the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process information database.

In an embodiment, the childbirth control system can comprise a remote server. When using the remote server, the user terminal may be configured to provide the personal childbirth process information database to a remote server in real-time via a communication network. The communication network may include various types of network links (physical, optical, wireless and wired) on a personal area network, a local area network, a wide area network, or a combination of such networks, employing appropriate data transfer protocols.

The remote server may contain one or more reference databases. In addition, the analysis module is provided in, or otherwise implemented by, the remote server to generate a childbirth progress data by comparing the personal childbirth process information database with the reference database corresponding to the selected childbirth method. The analysis module is also configured to provide the analyzed data to the corresponding user terminal so as to assist the user in determining a suitable childbirth method for the patient in response to various physical changes during labor.

In addition, one or more monitoring terminals at remote locations, may be configured to receive the childbirth progress data, in real-time, via the communication network so that a collaborating obstetrician can also analyze the progress of the labor and recommend an alternate childbirth method.

In another aspect, the present invention is related to a childbirth control method using a child birth control system having a user terminal for obtaining physical information of a patient and a her fetus through a plurality of diagnosis devices, and an analysis module and one or more monitoring terminals connected to the user terminal through a wire/wireless communication network, comprising the steps of: selecting a childbirth method for a patient; generating a series of measurement data, each containing one or more values of physical information for the patient and her fetus that are obtained via one or more of diagnostic devices operatively coupled to a user terminal, wherein the series of measurement data is continuously stored in a personal childbirth process database in sequence throughout the labor; generating a childbirth progress data by an analysis module that is configured to compare the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process database to a series of reference measurement data of at least one reference database, wherein each of the reference measurement data contains predetermined reference values of physical information for the patient and the fetus based on the identified childbirth method; and presenting the childbirth progress data on the user terminal, wherein a warning signal is provided on the user terminal when one or more of the physical information measurement values in the measurement data differ from their corresponding reference values in the reference measurement data by a predetermined amount.

Here, the childbirth method may be a natural childbirth method or an artificial childbirth method, and each may include various types of childbirth methods of its kind.

A selection for an alternate childbirth method is prompted on the user terminal when the warning signal is provided. The alternate childbirth method may also be any childbirth method included in the natural childbirth method and the artificial childbirth method. While it is sufficient that the alternate childbirth method differs from the prior childbirth method for the patient, it is preferred that system is configured to recommend the alternate childbirth method that is ideal for the patient under the circumstances. A new reference database that contains a new series of reference measurement data will be used to generate a new childbirth progress data according to the selected alternate childbirth method.

The selectable childbirth methods include a natural childbirth, a positive childbirth, a selection childbirth, a corresponding childbirth and an emergency childbirth between the natural childbirth and artificial childbirth.

The collaborating obstetrician may provide various inputs via a monitoring terminal to recommend an alternate childbirth method or treatment to the user terminal.

Collaborating obstetricians may also communicate with each other via the monitoring terminals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above as well as the other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a childbirth control system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control method according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed flow chart illustrating a step 400 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control method according to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a childbirth control system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention can give a remote medical treatment in real-time through a communication network and assist in selecting a suitable childbirth method according to a physical changes of the woman in childbed and the fetus. Also, the obstetrician can be adequately communicated with the woman in childbed, the protector thereof, and the collaborating obstetrician on the information of the progress of childbirth, thereby inducing a tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment. Moreover, it can more stably control the childbirth through an objective and scientific childbirth management.

At its basic level, the childbirth control system includes a user terminal, a personal childbirth process information database, a plurality of reference databases, and an analysis module.

The user terminal can be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination of both. For instance, the user terminal may be a special purpose hardware device specifically designed for the functions described in the present disclosure. Alternatively, the user terminal can be implemented in software that is stored in a computer readable medium and executed on a general computing device, such as a personal computer or even a smart phone. In either form, it is sufficient that the user terminal is able to receive a user selection for a desired childbirth method and communicate with one or more of diagnostic devices to obtain the physical information of a patient and a fetus in real-time during the labor. A user may provide desired commands, including the selection for the desired childbirth method, via any human-computer interfacing means, including but not limited to, a keyboard, mouse, a touchscreen, a microphone (e.g., voice command), a camera (e.g., motion sensing) and the likes. Being able to give command on the user terminal via voice command or motion sensing will be particularly advantageous during labor, considering that the user (either the patient herself or the obstetrician for the patient) would most likely unable to provide delicate physical control over the input devices or to touch the device for sanitary reasons.

In addition, the user terminal is operatively coupled to a plurality of diagnosis devices to continuously obtain the physical information of the patient and fetus. The plurality of diagnosis devices can include a heartbeat measuring instrument 11, a cervix measuring instrument 12, a lightening measuring instrument 13, an uterine contraction measuring instrument 14, an ultrasonic image device 15, and a camera 16. However, various other diagnostic devices, such as an electrocardiography device or a blood pressure measuring instrument, can be connected to the user terminal according to the emergency and unforeseen circumstances. It should be noted that the diagnostic devices that can connect to the user terminal is not limited to the devices used for measuring and monitoring physical conditions, but may also include life support equipment such as medical ventilators, cardiopulmonary bypass device, dialysis device, as well as anesthetic devices.

When one or more of physical conditions of the patient and fetus are measured, a set of measured values at given time, is generated as a measurement data by the user terminal. The user terminal is configured so that the measurement data is continuously stored in the personal childbirth process information database, in real time, throughout the labor. In other words, the personal childbirth process information database comprises a series of measurement data, each containing one or more values of physical information of the patient and her fetus that are measured by the diagnosis devices. In some embodiments, the personal childbirth process information database may also include a selection data of a childbirth method selected for the patient, which can be used in generating a childbirth chart for outputting the series of measurement data based in a graphical format along with a reference graph according to the selected childbirth method.

In the preferred embodiment, a discrete module, for example, the analysis module, can be configured to obtain the measurement data and the reference measurement data, and generate a complete graphical representation of the childbirth progress. That is, in the personal childbirth process information database, when the childbirth method for the patient is selected, the measurement data of the patient is presented on the childbirth chart along with a reference graph corresponding childbirth method.

Accordingly, the patient, the patient's family members, and the obstetrician can visually monitor the progress of childbirth in real-time.

In the meantime, the childbirth chart includes four indicating lines and two section lines in order to confirm the entire physical condition information of the patient. Here, the physical condition information of the fetus can also be displayed in the childbirth chart by a sheet, a graph or a numerical value.

Accordingly, the pangs of childbirth, childbirth and emergency circumstances by time can be predicted through the four indicating lines and two section lines.

As mentioned above, the reference graph of the childbirth chart is based on the selected childbirth method for the patient. Accordingly, a plurality of reference databases, each corresponding to the selectable childbirth method is provided. Each of the reference databases comprised of a series of reference measurement data for the corresponding childbirth method. Similar to the patient's personal measurement data, each of the reference measurement data contains one or more reference values of physical information for a comparison with the actual measure values of the patient and the fetus. The analysis module is configured to compare the series of measurement data from the personal childbirth process information database to the series of reference measurement data stored in the reference database and generate the childbirth progress data to the user terminal so as to provide the graphical representation of the childbirth progress and to assist in selecting an alternate childbirth method if necessary.

For example, a warning data can be provided to the user terminal for presenting warning signals, when one or more of the values in the measurement data differ from their corresponding reference values of the reference measurement data (e.g., same type of physical information at the substantially same duration into the labor) by a predetermined amount.

In an embodiment, the reference database is generated from various statistical data values including average values or any percentile distribution values in the measurement data of the accumulated personal childbirth process information database of one or more patients from the past. Accordingly, the personal childbirth process information database generated from the series of measurement data of the current patient may be added, or otherwise integrated, to the reference database for increased scalability.

Here, the warning signal may a sound, an image or a combination thereof.

Accordingly, the user terminal can be configured to prompt the user for a selection of an alternate childbirth method when the warning signal provided. Therefore, although a natural childbirth was initially selected, an artificial labor can be induced quickly without any delay in emergency and unforeseen circumstances. In addition, the selection of the alternate childbirth method will trigger generating a new childbirth progress data using a new reference database corresponding to the alternate childbirth method.

In some embodiments, a recommended childbirth method is presented on the user terminal. The recommended childbirth method may be automatically determined by the analysis module by considering supplemental medical information of the patient and the series of measurement data stored in the personal childbirth process database. The supplemental medical information of the patient may include general medical condition of the patient, prior obstetric history, pre-conception life style (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise level), patient's life style during pregnancy (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise level), medical history of the patient's family, usage of medicine and the patient's known allergic reaction to certain medicine. As will be described below, a collaborating obstetrician can also suggest a recommended childbirth method via a monitoring terminal.

A monitoring terminal 30 is configured to receive the childbirth progress data via a network and to present the series of measurement data of the and the series of reference measurement data in the similar graphical fashion presented on the user terminal. The monitoring terminal is also configured so that the aforementioned warning signals are presented when needed.

Accordingly, each monitoring terminal 30 can receive a part or all of the personal childbirth process information database transmitted from the user terminal, reference database, as well as the analysis module.

That is, each monitoring terminal 30 can receive the physical change per an hour or the physical diagonal information of the patient and the fetus in real-time image, and the collaborating obstetrician of the corresponding monitoring terminal 30 can provide inputs to the corresponding obstetrician of the user terminal to present any information regarding the progress of childbirth, a recommended childbirth method for the patient, or even to control the devices that are operably connected to the user terminal, thereby inducing a tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment. For instance, the collaborating obstetrician can provide a command to the user terminal to control the administration and/or the amount of anesthesia (e.g., epidural) or pharmacologically induce or inhibit the labor process.

While each of the user terminal, the personal childbirth process information database, the reference databases and the analysis module are described as discrete functional components of the system, in some embodiments, functionalities of these components may be combined into a single device or a component (e.g., the user terminal or a computing device). For instance, the user terminal can implement the personal childbirth process information database, the reference database as well as the analysis module.

Alternatively, a remote server can be provided to implement the analysis module and the reference database. In a such case, the user terminal can be configured to provide the series of measurement data to the remote server via the network, in real time. In this way, the childbirth progress data would be generated by the remote server, and the graphical representation of the childbirth process as well as the warning signal can be provided to any device, regardless of the platform. For example, the actual comparison of the measurement data can be done in the cloud server, and the cloud server can push the content of the child progress data to any web browser, so that the patient's family and/or collaborating obstetrician can monitor the progress of the childbirth.

While a single cloud server may be sufficient, the system of the present invention can be implemented using a multiple servers in a distributed computing environment to handle more complex tasks. With the increase computing power, the analysis module can be configured to search one or more informational sources, such as PubMed, MedLine and other accessible medical databases to present medical treatment and/or surgical information relevant to the patient during labor, in response to the measurement data.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, firstly, the woman in childbed enters hospital for hers childbirth.

Then, the patient or the obstetrician can select a desired childbirth method.

Next to the selection, the physical information of the patient and the fetus is transmitted to the user terminal of the patient, protector (e.g., legal guardian or family member of the patient), and obstetrician connected to the diagnosis devices through the childbirth chart of the corresponding childbirth method in real-time.

In this case, the user terminal is connected to the monitoring terminal 30 of the collaborating obstetrician and the remote server 20 having one or more reference databases through the wire/wireless communication network.

Here, in case that the patient selects the natural childbirth and the measuring values transmitted through the user terminal 10 in real-time are different by more than a predetermined amount, the warning signals such as the sound and image is expressed through the user terminal 10.

At this time, the collaborating obstetrician can give a remote medical treatment through the monitoring terminal 30. Also, the obstetrician can communicate with another collaborating obstetrician as well as the patient or the patient's family member.

Accordingly, as though the woman in childbed wants the natural childbirth, the artificial labor can be induced according to the physical information of the woman in childbed and the fetus measured by the diagnosis devices in real-time.

Here, the present invention is not limited to the obstetrics and gynecology. It can be applied to various medical fields such as a dental surgery, orthopedics, and internal medicine and so on.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the childbirth chart includes an Y-axis having a dilatation line illustrating an opening size (cm) of the womb, an X-axis illustrating an hour, four indicating lines and two section lines.

Here, two section lines include a vertical pang line and a vertical childbirth line.

The vertical pang line is a point of time (generally 1 cm/1 hour) of actively starting the progress of the childbirth and an indicating line illustrating the progress state of about 3-5 cm. Here, the progress of the childbirth can be evaluated with the passage of time. That is, the opening size of the womb and the passage of time can be set in advance, for example 3 cm to 6 hours, 4 cm to 8 hours, and 5 cm to 10 hours. Where the setting time is exceeded, it diagnoses the pang line as an abnormal state.

The childbirth line is an indicating line illustrating the passage of time of 1-4 hours from a full dilatation (about 10 cm) to a delivery of a newborn baby. Here, the progress of the childbirth line can be evaluated with the passage of time. That is, the woman who has had her first childbirth corresponds to about 2 hours and the multiparous woman corresponds to about 1 hour. Where the setting time is exceeded, it diagnoses the childbirth line as an abnormal state.

In the meantime, four indicating lines includes an optimum indicating line, a warning indicating line, a diagnosis indicating line, and a firm diagnosis indicating line. Here, each indicating line can be evaluated according to the speed of the childbirth (dilatation and lightening) and yes or no of the passing of the indicating line. The optimum indicating line provides a reference childbirth progression by the reference speed of childbirth. For instance, the optimum indicating line can be drawn from the time of patient's admission into the hospital to the pang line with the slope expressing 1 cm of dilation per an hour. The warning indicating line can also have the same slope, expressing 1 cm of dilation per an hour. Accordingly, at the time of patient's admission to the hospital, an optimum indicating line will be shown if the progress of childbirth is before the pang line. If the progress of childbirth is already past the pang line, however, only the warning indicating line will be shown without the optimum indicating line.

The optimum indicating line extends from the admission time into a hospital to the pang line. The warning indicating line, diagnosis indicating line, and firm diagnosis indicating line are positioned after the pang line and displayed between the section lines in the respective order.

Here, the optimum indicating line as a properly basic childbirth standard corresponds to the speed of the dilatation of 1 cm per 1 hour. For example, where the childbirth progress line generated by the measuring data according to the passage of the childbirth passes through the optimum indicating line established by the childbirth chart based on the reference measurement data, it diagnoses the childbirth progress line as an abnormal childbirth. Accordingly, in order to give birth to a baby within the range of the optimum indicating line, it is necessary to accompany an active medical treatment. That is, in case that the predetermined range (setting time) set by the optimum indicating line is exceeded, the medical treatment including a caesarean operation should be required.

Here, the warning indicating line corresponds to the speed of the dilatation of 1 cm per 1 hour from the pang line and is a standard indicating line on the presumption of a childbirth obstacle. In other words, instead of the optimum indicating line, only the warning indicating line will be created if the progress of childbirth is already in active state (e.g., generally shown by more than 1 cm//hour of dilation) when diagnosing the patient by the system of present invention.

Also, the diagnosis indicating line is an indicating line illustrating a state progressed for 1 through 8 hours from the warning indicating line according to the childbirth method and is a standard indicating line on the presumption of a childbirth obstacle and yes or no of the medical treatment according to the childbirth obstacle. Therefore, the diagnosis indicating line is drawn parallel to, but positioned anywhere between 1 to 8 hours later than the warning indicating line.

Moreover, the firm diagnosis indicating line is an indicating line illustrating a state progressed for 1 through 8 hours from the diagnosis indicating line according to the childbirth method and is a standard indicating line on the firm diagnosis of the childbirth obstacle, Therefore, the firm diagnosis indicating line is drawn parallel to, but positioned anywhere between 1 to 8 hours later than the diagnosis indicating line. Y=aX+b (optimum indicating line)  [Math Figure 1]

Here, “a” is a slope and “b” is a constant. Y=aX+c (warning indicating line)  [Math Figure 2]

Here, “a” is a slope and “c” is a constant. Y=aX+d (diagnosis indicating line)  [Math Figure 3]

Here, “a” is a slope and “d” is a constant. Y=aX+e (firm diagnosis indicating line)  [Math Figure 4]

Here, “a” is a slope and “e” is a constant.

The slope value “a” is a constant obtained by an experiment and experience. For example, the average value calculated by the inspection of the state of the woman in childbed may be the basic childbirth process information database.

Here, the constant values of each indicating line are determined according to the personal childbirth process information database of the woman in childbed. Here, preferably, it is “b” value>“c” value>“d” value>“e” value.

It is axiomatic that the locations of four indicating lines and two section lines can be varied according to the personal childbirth process information database measured by each woman in childbed.

The childbirth chart will be briefly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to one embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 5 is a conceptual view illustrating a childbirth chart of a childbirth control system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Here, since the optimum indicating line indicates a normal childbirth, it is omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the childbirth chart, three indicating lines and two section lines are established in such a manner that the natural childbirth can be allowable to the maximum.

Firstly, line 1 illustrates the opening speed of the dilatation with the pang from the admission time into a hospital with the passage of time. As shown, the dilatation becomes open to 10 cm without being reached to the warning indicating line. Accordingly, it can confirm the normal natural childbirth.

Also, line 2 extends to the warning indicating line and indicates the normal childbirth. However, since it is estimated to be a childbirth obstacle, the obstetrician must act with prudence.

In line 3, the dilatation becomes open after 2-3 hours from the pang line. Also, since the dilatation becomes open next to 14-15 hours from the admission time into a hospital enough to give a birth to a child, it diagnoses line 3 as a childbirth obstacle. Accordingly, it can be determined as to whether the medical treatment is performed or not owing to the childbirth obstacle. Here, after the medical treatment, where line 3 extends to the firm diagnosis indicating line, the childbirth obstacle is confirmed. In this case, the expediency such as a caesarean operation is required.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the childbirth chart, three indicating lines and two section lines are established in such a manner that the natural childbirth can be allowable identically with FIG. 4, not to the maximum. That is, FIG. 5 illustrates a graph for inducing a partial natural childbirth. Accordingly, the childbirth charts of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are different from each other in terms of the definition of the childbirth obstacle and the treatment time thereof.

As described above, the user terminal 10 or the monitoring terminal 30 according to the childbirth control system of the present invention includes an alarm of the warning indicating line (for example, direct image warning such as a red line or a red word), an alarm of the diagnosis indicating line (for example, a warning alarm and a sound warning such as a beeper), and an alarm of the firm diagnosis indicating line (for example, image, sound and monitor flickering warnings) for directly informing the dangerous situations according to the physical information of the-patient (the personal childbirth process information database of the patient).

Advantageous Effects

As can be seen from the foregoing, in the childbirth control system and the method thereof, it can give the remote medical treatment in real-time through the communication network and select the childbirth method according to the physical change of the patient and the fetus.

Also, the obstetrician can communicate with the patient, the protector thereof, and the collaborating obstetrician on the information of the progress of childbirth, thereby enabling to provide a tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment. Moreover, it can more stably control the childbirth through an objective and scientific childbirth management.

Best Mode

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although operations may be described as a sequential process, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, concurrently in real-time, which may be carried out in a single machine and/or distributed environment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control method according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a detailed flow chart illustrating a step 400 of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a childbirth control method according to FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 6 through FIG. 8, the present invention can give a remote medical treatment in real-time through a communication network and can select a childbirth method in response to physical changes of the patient and the fetus. Also, the obstetrician can communicate with the patient, the protector thereof, and the collaborating obstetrician on the information of the progress of childbirth, thereby inducing a tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment. Moreover, it can more stably control the childbirth through an objective and scientific childbirth management.

In the childbirth control method, the woman in childbed or the protector can select any one of the artificial labors (a positive childbirth, a selection childbirth, a corresponding childbirth, and an emergency childbirth) and the natural childbirth.

Here, basically, when the patient or the obstetrician selects the first childbirth method, a series of measurement data is inputted to the childbirth chart along with a series of reference measurement data corresponding to the selected childbirth method.

First, various information such as the expected date of delivery of the patient, a final menstrual, medication information that the patient has taken, a health condition and physical information (e.g., illness) of the patient and the fetus can be entered through the user terminal 10 (note S100).

Then, the physical information of the patient and the fetus can be obtained in real-time through the diagnosis devices connected to the user terminal 10 and generated as a series of measurement data (note S200).

Continuously, the user terminal 10 stores the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process information database.

Also, the user terminal 10 provides the series of measurement data stored in the personal childbirth process information database to a remote server 20 through the communication network. The remote server 20 includes the analysis module and one or more of the reference databases. The analysis module is configured to obtain the series of reference measurement data in the reference database corresponding to the selected childbirth method, and to generate a childbirth progress data by comparing the series of measurement data and the series of reference measurement data. The childbirth progress data is provided to the user terminal 10 and the monitoring terminal 30 via the communication network.

Here, the user terminal 10, the remote server 20 and the monitoring terminal 30 may be verified for permission. That is, only authorized terminals can receive or access the personal childbirth process information database and/or the childbirth progress data. Moreover, the functionalities of each monitoring terminal may be different, depending on the authorization level. For instance, while the monitoring terminal for the patient's family member is authorized only for receiving and viewing the childbirth progress data or video stream of the childbirth process, the monitoring terminals 30 for collaborating obstetrician may also be authorized to send various inputs to the user terminal 10.

When one or more of the values in the measurement data differ from their corresponding reference values in the reference measurement data by a predetermined amount, a warning signal is provided on the user terminal and the monitoring terminal. Accordingly, the collaborating obstetrician of the monitoring terminal 30 can communicate with the obstetrician of the user terminal 10 regarding the viable treatment methods and/or alternate childbirth methods (S300). The communication between the obstetricians can be in any form, including voice, text, image, and control commands for the devices that are configurable via the user terminal. When the monitoring terminal 30 is equipped with a touch screen, some of the aforementioned inputs may be entered directly on the screen. For example, the collaborating obstetrician can provide marks or notes the graph being displayed on both terminals.

The analysis module in the remote server 20 is configured to recommend viable treatments and/or childbirth methods in response to abnormal readings from the diagnosis devices or detecting the differences between the measurement data and the reference measurement data beyond the threshold level. Here, the recommended treatments and the childbirth methods by the analysis module are determined by checking one or more medical databases as well as one or more of the reference databases stored in the remote server 20. As the contents of the reference databases are built from the compilation of prior patient's childbirth progress data, the childbirth progress data of the current patient is also added, or otherwise integrated, into the reference databases for increased scalability as well as for increased accuracy for predicting various aspects of the childbirth process.

When the alternate childbirth method is selected on the user terminal, a new childbirth progress data is generated by using a new reference database corresponding to the selected alternate childbirth method. Similar to the reference database used during the previous childbirth method, the new reference database contains a series of reference measurement data, each containing reference values of various types of physical information to be used in analyzing the status of the patient and the fetus.

Here the alternate childbirth method includes the natural childbirth, positive childbirth, selection childbirth, corresponding childbirth, assisted childbirth, cesarean childbirth and emergency childbirth between the natural childbirth and artificial childbirth.

Also, each monitoring terminal 30 can receive a part or all of the personal childbirth process information database transmitted from each PDA (personal digital assistants) 10 to the childbirth server 20, so that the obstetrician can be adequately communicated with the collaborating obstetrician on the information of the progress of childbirth, thereby inducing the tailored type childbirth method through the collaborating medical treatment.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention relates to a childbirth control system and a method thereof, and more particularly to a childbirth control system and a method thereof capable of giving a remote medical treatment in real-time through a communication network and selecting a childbirth method according to a physical change of the patient and the fetus.

Embodiments of the invention also may be directed to computer program products comprising software stored on any computer useable medium. Such software, when executed in one or more data processing device, causes a data processing device(s) to operate as described herein. Embodiments of the invention employ any computer useable or readable medium. Examples of computer useable mediums include, but are not limited to, primary storage devices (e.g., any type of random access memory), secondary storage devices (e.g., hard drives, floppy disks, CD ROMS, ZIP disks, tapes, magnetic storage devices, and optical storage devices, MEMS, nano-technological storage device, etc.), and communication mediums (e.g., wired and wireless communications networks, local area networks, wide area networks, intranets, etc.).

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented. The invention is not limited to these examples. These examples are presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Alternatives (including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Embodiments have been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of embodiments that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.

The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

While this invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and the drawings, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a childbirth process during labor, comprising the steps of: selecting a childbirth method for a patient; generating a series of measurement data, each containing one or more values of physical information of the patient and her fetus that are obtained via one or more of diagnosis devices operatively coupled to a user terminal, wherein the series of measurement data is continuously stored in a personal childbirth process database in sequence throughout the labor; generating a childbirth progress data by an analysis module that is configured to compare the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process database to a series of reference measurement data of at least one reference database corresponding to the selected childbirth method, wherein each of the reference measurement data contains reference values for the physical information of the patient and the fetus; and presenting the childbirth progress data on the user terminal as a childbirth chart comprising: Y-axis corresponding to a dilation line indicative of a dilation size of the cervix of the patient, X-axis indicative of a timeline, two section lines including a vertical pang line and a vertical childbirth line, and four indicating lines including an optimum indicating line extending from the patient's admission time into a hospital to a pang line, a warning indicating line, a diagnosis indicating line, and a firm diagnosis indicating line, wherein the optimum indicating line, the warning indicating line, the diagnosis indicating line and the firm diagnosis indicating line are expressed by the following numerical formula 1 through 4 respectively: Y=ax+b;  <Formula 1> Y=ax+c;  <Formula 2> Y=ax+d;  <Formula 3> Y=ax+e;  <Formula 4> wherein “a” is a slope and each of the “b”, “c”, “d”, and “e” are constant values characterized by: “b” value>“c” value, “c” value>“d” value, and “d” value>“e” value.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a warning data when one or more of values of the physical information in the measurement data differs from their corresponding reference values in the reference measurement data by a predetermined amount; selecting an alternate childbirth method when the warning data is provided; generating a new childbirth progress data using a new reference database containing a series of reference measurement data, each containing reference values for the physical information of the patient and the fetus based on the alternate childbirth method; and presenting the new childbirth progress data on the user terminal as a new childbirth chart.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: presenting a recommended childbirth method on the user terminal, wherein the recommended childbirth method is automatically determined by the analysis module by considering supplemental medical information of the patient and the series of measurement data stored in the personal childbirth process database.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: providing the childbirth progress data on one or more remotely located monitoring terminals via a network; and receiving one or more inputs from the monitoring terminal via the network, wherein said one or more inputs includes a recommended childbirth method.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said one or more inputs further comprises commands for controlling said one or more of diagnosis devices coupled to the user terminal.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said one or more of diagnostic devices comprises a heartbeat monitoring device, a lightening measuring device, a cervix measuring device, an uterine contraction measuring device, an ultrasonic device, a life support device, an anesthetic device and a camera.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the physical information obtained from the patient and the fetus comprises dilation of cervix of the patient, effacement cervix of the patient, frequency of contraction per given time period, descent of the fetus.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference database is compiled from a plurality of childbirth progress data obtained from a plurality of prior patients.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the series of reference measurement data is generated by computing an average or a percentile distribution value of each physical information value contained in the measurement data obtained from a plurality of prior patients.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the supplemental medical information of the patient comprises general medical condition of the patient, prior obstetric history, pre-conception life style, patient's life style during pregnancy, medical history of the patient's family, usage of medicine and the patient's known allergic reaction to certain medicine.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said one or more reference database and said analysis module are implemented in the user terminal.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing the series of measurement data from the user terminal to a remote server via the network, wherein the analysis module and said one or more reference databases are implemented in the remote server.
 13. A system for controlling a childbirth process for a patient during labor, comprising: a user terminal configured to receive a selection for a desired childbirth method, and operatively coupled to one or more of diagnostic devices that are configured to measure one or more values of physical information of the patient and her fetus in real time during the labor to generate a series of measurement data during the labor; a personal childbirth process database containing said series of measurement data of the patient throughout the labor; a plurality of reference databases, each of the plurality of reference database corresponding to a childbirth method and containing a series of reference measurement data, each of the reference measurement data contains one or more reference values for physical information to be compared against the series of measurement data; and an analysis module for generating a childbirth progress data by comparing the series of measurement data in the personal childbirth process database to a series of reference measurement data contained in at least one of the reference database, wherein the childbirth progress data is presented on the user terminal as a childbirth chart comprising: Y-axis corresponding to a dilation line indicative of a dilation size of the cervix of the patient, X-axis indicative of a timeline, two section lines including a vertical pang line and a vertical childbirth line, and four indicating lines including an optimum indicating line extending from the patient's admission time into a hospital to a pang line, a warning indicating line, a diagnosis indicating line, and a firm diagnosis indicating line, wherein the optimum indicating line, the warning indicating line, the diagnosis indicating line and the firm diagnosis indicating line are expressed by the following numerical formula 1 through 4 respectively: Y=ax+b;  <Formula 1> Y=ax+c;  <Formula 2> Y=ax+d;  <Formula 3> Y=ax+e;  <Formula 4> wherein “a” is a slope and each of the “b”, “c”, “d”, and “e” are constant values characterized by: “b” value>“c” value, “c” value>“d” value, and “d” value>“e” value.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said one or more of diagnostic devices comprises a cervix measuring device and at least one of a heartbeat monitoring device, a lightening measuring device, an uterine contraction measuring device, an ultrasonic device, a life support device, an anesthetic device and a camera.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the physical information obtained from the patient and the fetus comprises dilation of cervix of the patient, and at least one of effacement cervix of the patient, frequency of contraction per given time period, and descent of the fetus.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the analysis module is configured to provide a warning signal on the user terminal when one or more of the physical information values in the measurement data differ from their corresponding reference values of physical information in the reference measurement data by a predetermined amount.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the analysis module is configured to prompt the user to select an alternate childbirth method when the warning data is provided, and upon receiving a selection for the alternate childbirth method, to generate a new childbirth progress data using a new reference database containing a series of reference measurement data, each containing predetermined reference values for physical information for the patient and the fetus based on the selected alternate childbirth method.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the analysis module is configured automatically identify a recommended childbirth method by considering supplemental medical information of the patient and the series of measurement data stored in the personal childbirth process database, and wherein the recommended childbirth method is presented on the user terminal.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the supplemental medical information of the patient comprises general medical condition of the patient, prior obstetric history, pre-conception life style, patient's life style during pregnancy, medical history of the patient's family, usage of medicine and the patient's known allergic reaction to certain medicine.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising: one or more remotely located monitoring terminals for presenting the childbirth progress data to one or more of collaborating obstetricians, wherein said childbirth progress data is provided to said monitoring terminals in real time during the labor, via a network.
 21. The system of claim 20, wherein said monitoring terminals are operatively coupled to one or more of input devices to receive one or more inputs from the collaborating obstetricians, and wherein said one or more inputs include a recommended childbirth method for the patient and one or more commands for controlling one or more of diagnosis device operably coupled to the user terminal.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the personal childbirth process database, the one or more reference database and the analysis module are implemented in the user terminal.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein personal childbirth process information database, the analysis module and said one or more reference database are implemented in a remote server, and wherein the user terminal is configured to transfer the series of measurement data of the patient and the fetus to the remote server and the remote server is configured to transfer the childbirth progress data to the user terminal and one or more of the monitoring terminal via the network. 